Support for knee space desk drawer



April 29, 1958 H, E. HUTZIELMAN 2,832,660

SUPPORT FOR KNEE SPACE DESK DRAWER Filed Sept. 15, 1956 INVENTOR.

l/awwllm /m/ nited States 2,832,660 Patented Apr. 29, 1958 SUPPORT FORKNEE SPACE DESK DRAWER Howard E. Hutzelman, Corry, Pa., assignor toCorrylamestown Manufacturing Corporation, Corry, Pa., a corporation ofNew York Application September 13, 1956, Serial No. 609,602

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-344) This invention relates to improvements in metalofiice furniture, and more particularly to desks of the one or twopedestal type. Specifically, the invention is directed to the structureof a support for a knee-space drawer. Such drawers are of shallow, wideproportions and occupy the space between the desk pedestals directlybeneath the desk top.

A drawer of the type to which the invention is directed is intended to,and generally does, contain small, loose items as distinguished fromcabinet drawers that contain files of papers or cards. In fact, thistype of drawer is invariably provided with a number of partitions ordividers, as well as a compartmented convenience tray. Access to such adrawer, by reason of its contents, is very frequently necessary and,consequently, such a drawer is moved into or out of open position muchmore frequently than a file drawer. On the other hand, the proportionsof a drawer of this type, as well as its shallow depth, do not lendthemselves to being equipped with any of the various ball or rollersuspensions available. Due

to the many loose and small items usually contained in a drawer of thistype, it is conceivable, particularly in view or" the frequentmanipulation thereof, that the contents may often become disordered,thus necessitating the complete removal, cleaning, and replacement ofthe contained items.

The present invention is directed to, and has for one of its objects theprovision of supporting structure for a lznee-space drawer that willassure free and easy movement or" the drawer as may be required.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of this type ishighly objectionable in view of the fact F that the multiple small itemcontents are at best highly susceptible to disarrangement.

A further and important object of the invention lies in the provision ofsupporting structure for a knee-space drawer that so locates andarranges the relatively slidable parts that they normally cooperate toprovide a stop to determine the limit to which a drawer may be extended,but also enable full removal of a drawer through the expedient oftilting the drawer in a direction to bypass such a stop.

A still further object of the invention lies in the provision of anextremely simple, eflicient and inexpensive structure for mounting aknee-space drawer in a manner to provide satisfactory manipulationthereof and enable quick and easy removal of the drawer, as may berequired.

Other object and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from a consideration of the following specification, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing; in which Fig. 1 is afragmentary perspective view of a pedestal desk with the central portionbroken away to disclose the knee-space drawer and its supportingstructure;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the drawer supporting rails,the drawer being shown in closed position and the view takensubstantially as indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the drawer fully extended,dotted lines in this view indicating the required angularity of thedrawer, preparatory to removal from the desk;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view,taken substantially as indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is another enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectionalview, taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the present invention isshown as constituting part of the structure of a conventionaltwo-pedestal desk, generally indicated by the numeral 16*. Desks of thistype consist of two, spaced, upright pedestals 11, connected by abridge-like enclosing top 12. Each pedestalconsists generally ofsubstantially identical inner and outer parallel walls 13, connected byrear wall 14, that in fact produce front opening cabinets. Of course,any arrangement and number of drawers, such as suggested at 16, may bemounted in the pedestals ll.

Between the pedestals and directly beneath the desk top 12 there islocated a drawer, generally referred to as a knee-space drawer and, inthe present disclosure, indicated by the numeral 17. This drawerincludes a drawer head or front 18, base 19, side walls 21, and a rearwall 22. Attached to the drawer side walls 21 are generally Z-shapedbars 23, the lower flange 24 of each of which is secured to the drawerbase 19. The upper flange 26 extends laterally away from the drawer sideand includes a shallow return-bent flange, thus producing a downwardlyopening channel 27, extending substantially the full length of each sideof the drawer. Beyond the channel 27 which, as mentioned, terminatessubstantially at the rear wall 22 of the drawer, the bars 23 continuerearwardly and the body portion of each bar mounts a pair of glides 2Sand 29. These glides are suitably supported by pins carried by the barsand, although cylindrical, are not designed or intended to rotate. Thefact that the glides are formed from a synthetic material that is highlyimpervious to wear by reason of frictional contact, and also the factthat the contacting portion of each glide is of the nature of atransverse line, recommends them for use in the present instance. Theglides 28 are mounted adjacent the upper portion of the bar 23, directlyto the rear of the channels 27. The glides 29 are located furtherrearwardly of the bar and adjacent the lower portion thereof. Thus theglides on each bar are vertically offset with respect to each other. Ahorizontal end view of the bars will show the vertical space between thelower surface of the upper glide 28 and the upper surface of the lowerglide 29 to be approximately the thickness of the metal used in theconstruction of the drawer and supporting bars.

Secured to the inner face of each of the inner pedestal walls 13 is adrawer supporting rail 31. The vertical or body portion 32 of the railabuts the pedestal wall and terminates along its top edge in outwardlyextending horizontal flanges 33 which are intended to rest uponcorresponding flanges of the pedestal and be secured to such pedestalflanges in any convenient manner, as by screws or welding, prior tomounting the desk top 12. Commencing at its rear end, each rail isprovided with an inwardly directed, horizontal flange 34 which isintended to provide a ledge as a support for the glides carried by thedrawer. Adjacent the forward end of the rail, the flange is bent orinclined downwardly, as at 36, to form a stop. From this point to itsforward end, the

body portion 32 of the rail is of somewhat greater width, this increasebeing substantially the equivalent of the width of the flange 34.Adjacent the forward end of each rail, a glide 37 is mounted. The glidescarried by the rails are for all purposes identical with the glides 28and 29 previously described, and serve as forward supports for thedrawer 17.

To more clearly understand the advantages of the present structure,attention is now directed particularly to Fig. 2. Herein the drawer isshown in retracted position, the horizontal flanges 26 of the bars 23resting upon the forward glides 37. The upper glides 23, adjacent therear of the drawer, rest upon the horizontal flanges 34 of the rails 31.It will be observed that the rear glides 29 of the drawer arepractically in contact with the under surface of the rail flanges 34.The drawer 17 may be withdrawn from the pedestal and the only frictionalcontact between it and the supports is a line contact of glides 37 withthe flanges 26 and glides 29 with flanges 34. When the drawer has beenwithdrawn from the pedestal to an extent to expose substantially itsentire contents, the lowermost glides 29, carried thereby, will contactthe depending flanges 36 and thus prevent further movement. However, ashas been mentioned, it frequently becomes necessary to completely removea kneespace drawer and, in the present disclosure it is merely necessaryto slightly raise the front end of the drawer, swinging it about itssupport on the glides 37. This slight tilting of the drawer causes theglides 29 to move downwardly beneath the stop flanges 36 and become freetherefrom. Of course, this would not be possible if the glides 28 and 29were in vertical alignment, but since the glides 28 are locatedforwardly of the glides 29, such disengagement from the drawer supportis possible. It is believed the drawer tilting and clearance of glides29 from the stop flanges 36 is clearly indicated in Fig. 3

of the drawing.

It is to be understood that each of the glides shown and describedincludes a hub 38 which extends laterally beyond the cylindrical glidebody and thus serves to limit or control any tendency of the drawer tochatter during manipulation by reason of the contact of these hubs,either with the drawer bars 23, as with glides 37, or in the case of thehubs of glides 28 and 29 contacting the body portions 32 of the rails.Through the provision of glides constructed and located as described, itis possible to design and construct the drawer supporting structure withminimum tolerances. And, of course, since the glides create so littlefriction, no loss of freedom of movement of the drawer occurs. Also, dueto the close tolerances made possible by use and arrangement of thepresent glides, there is no tendency for the drawer to vibrate, chatter,or twist during manipulation from one position to another. It should bepointed out that applicant, through the use of only six glides, twosupporting rails, and the equivalent of two side flanges on the drawer,is enabled to produce a most satisfactory kneespace drawer support thatcannot get. out of order and will serve without appreciable wear over along period of use.

Although applicant has shown and described only one modification of anarrangement of rails, flanges, and antifriction glides, it will beappparent that some modifications of the structure described may be madeand are contemplated insofar as they are within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as set out in the annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which Idesire protection by Letters Patent 1. Structure for supporting a deskdrawer comprising a pair of spaced desk mounted rails, inturned flangesdefining the lower edges of said rails, the forward ends of said flangesterminating short of the forward ends of said rails in downwardlyinclined stops, glides mounted on said rails forwardly and above saidstops, bars secured to the sides of said drawer, flanges extendinglaterally from the upper edges of said bars overlying said rail mountedglides, other glides at the rear of and carried by said drawer, saidother glides having a vertical spacing to enable engagement with theupper and lower surfaces of the flanges of said rails, and laterallyextending hubs on all of said glides, the hubs of said rail glides beingin close proximity with said bars, and the hubs of said bar glides beingin close proximity with said rails whereby to prevent lateral twistingof the drawer during movement from one position to another.

2. Structure for supporting a desk drawer comprising a pair of spaceddesk mounted rails, inturned flanges defining the lower edges of saidrails, the forward ends of said flanges terminating in downwardlyinclined stops, glides mounted on and projecting inwardly of said railstoward each other, said glides being forwardly of and above said stops,bars secured to the sides of said drawer, flanges on said bars extendinglaterally away from said drawer, said flanges overlying said railmounted glides and in contact therewith throughout full normal movementof said drawer, a pair of glides mounted on and extending laterally awayfrom each of said bars adjacent the rear ends thereof, laterallyextending hubs on all of said glides, the hubs of said rail glides beingin close proximity with said bars, and the hubs of said bar glides beingin close proximity with said rails whereby to prevent lateral twistingof the drawer during movement from one position to another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,088,957 Hotfstetter Aug. 3, 1937 2,325,896 Waller Aug. 3, 19432,550,980 Drake May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,613 Switzerland Dec. 1,1943 341,745 Great Britain Ian. 22, 1931

